Multi-sensor surveillance system for monitoring a space and detection of objects

Abstract

Embodiments of surveillance systems for detecting the presence of unallowed objects in a predetermined restricted space are disclosed. In some embodiments, a surveillance system detects the presence of unallowed objects in a restricted space including a radar having a data output and further having an electromagnetic wave transmitter having at least two output antennas commutated to the transmitter output by means of transmitter switch, an electromagnetic wave receiver having an output and at least two input antennas commutated to the receiver input by means of receiver switch, a control unit operating said transmitter and receiver switches to select a pair of one input antenna and one output antenna at any given time, a video camera adapted to take successive image frames of the restricted space, a signal processor having a radar data input, a camera data input and output, and a storing device connected to the signal processor.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A surveillance system for detecting the presence of unallowed objects in a restricted space, comprising:
 a radar having a data output and further comprising an electromagnetic wave transmitter having at least two output antennas commutated to the transmitter output by means of transmitter switch, 
 an electromagnetic wave receiver having an output and at least two input antennas commutated to the receiver input by means of receiver switch, 
 a control unit operating said transmitter and receiver switches to select a pair of one input antenna and one output antenna at any given time, 
 a video camera adapted to take successive image frames of the restricted space, 
 a signal processor having a radar data input, a camera data input and an output, and 
 a storing device connected to the signal processor, wherein stored in the storing device are: reference data relating to the restricted area and obtained in the absence of any object in the restricted area, sets of parameters of allowed objects, and radar calibration data acquired during calibration process in which for each pair of input and output antennas a predefined test object is located in each radar resolution cell, 
 the signal processor being adapted to detecting the presence of object images in image frames by their contours using the reference data, calculating parameters of each object image and then calculating radar cross-section corresponding to each detected object image using the radar calibration data from the storing device, and 
 comparing calculated parameters of each object image detected in the restricted area image frame against each set of parameters of allowed objects and generating an alarm signal according to this comparison result. 
 
     
     
       2. The surveillance system of  claim 1 , wherein said signal processor is adapted to provide information about living objects for each antenna pair based on heartbeat or breathing movement detected in radar received signal. 
     
     
       3. The surveillance system of  claim 1 , wherein appropriate correction is given during radar data processing for vibration and deformations of the surveyed object. 
     
     
       4. The surveillance system of  claim 1 , wherein optical correction algorithm is performed on contours and areas. 
     
     
       5. The surveillance system of  claim 1 , wherein shadows are excluded from object images. 
     
     
       6. The surveillance system of  claim 1 , wherein the radar is an ultra wideband (UWB) radar. 
     
     
       7. The surveillance system of  claim 1 , wherein the signal processor and storing device are physically implemented on a printed circuit board. 
     
     
       8. The surveillance system of  claim 1 , wherein the signal processor and storing device are physically implemented on a silicon chip.